HMP Grampian launches recruitment day: Change careers with the Scottish Prison Service
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Looking for a new job with real career prospects and the chance to make a vital difference to your community? This Scottish Prison Service open day could be the first step to your new future.
A young hotel worker who wanted a fresh goal in life has found the career of his dreams – and now you can follow in his footsteps.
Paskal moved to Aberdeen from Poland in search of work opportunities at just 20 years old, and worked in hospitality for a number of years.
Then, when he decided to start his family, he began looking for a new role - one that offered him job security and career progression. He found his dream role as a Prison Officer at HMP Grampian.
“There is not a single morning since I started that I have dreaded going to work. I absolutely love it; the camaraderie I have with my colleagues is like nothing else.
“To think that I could come to Scotland from another country, change direction and find this amazing job, then move into management, all in just five years, is such an incredible career journey.”
Paskal not only found he had transferable skills learned from his years working in Scottish hotels which made him a good fit for the Prison Officer role, but the training and guidance he experienced helped him to develop and grow as a person.
Within five years of joining the Scottish Prison Service, Paskal is now a First Line Manager and mentor, supporting and developing new Prison Officers.
He said the reality of working in a prison was nothing like he had imagined it would be; instead, the focus is on rehabilitation, working with the people in custody to improve outcomes and refocus their futures, making it a positive and worthwhile job, and making a real difference to the community.
“I know there will be people who are worried about working in a prison. But you are never on your own, you always have colleagues around you to advise you and help you. And we have the Grampian Development Programme, which is all about mentorship for our colleagues and helping them move their careers forward.”
Your academic, career or life experiences don’t matter as much as three core values:
Openness: An openness to care for and support with compassion
Respect: Having respect for your colleagues, the people you care for, and yourself
Honesty: This is incredibly important, everything else can be taught.
Who is suitable?
With so many roles within the Scottish Prison Service there’s a route for everyone. Perhaps you are an accountant, teacher, offshore worker or former hospitality worker like Paskal, looking for something more. Or maybe you are looking for a career to help you embrace the things you love in life.
He said: “I have a colleague who is a body builder, and joining the Scottish Prison Service as a Physical Training Instructor let him use those skills to forge a career.”
Paskal says his background in hospitality was a much better fit for the prison service than he had ever imagined. “I had spent years working with the public, dealing with complaints and issues as they came up. That is much like working as a Prison Officer. Not only did I find those skills I already had useful, I discovered skills I didn’t know I had. I have developed my career and become much more confident I am so passionate about my work as a Prison Officer and would recommend it to anyone.”
About the recruitment event
The HMP Grampian open day takes place on 26 March 2025 and all are welcome. It’s your chance to meet the team, discuss career opportunities and find out more information about the recruitment process – you can even try out a few of the fitness test exercises.
You can apply for a Prison Officer opportunity on the day, or take away information before making your decision. Find out more about opportunities here. or search ‘SPS Careers Grampian’.